The Potter and Bei Fong Birthday Special
by MysticJaden
Summary: Need I say more? The title is enough, I think. *winkwink* Happy Birthday anyone who had their special day at the 18th of March!


Harry stroke his chin sleepily while he walked down to the Dining Hall. He needed to shave badly yet he never had the energy to do it. One would think that after the war was won, he would have more life to himself.

Who cares about the war when there's school? Harry would have been happy to go back on the field and fight, rather than sitting on... no, surviving through his classes.

He opened the door to the Hall and strode to his table sluggishly. He sat between his two friends.

On his right was Zuko and on his left sat Gaara, both students of a magical Academy far to the East. Back there, magic was universally different. They did not control energies like the Europeans did, they rather specialise in one school of magic, most often, in the elements.

Much like in Hogwarts, they were divided between four houses they called Castes, but they were not named after the founders of their school, but the four elements: Air, Water, Fire and Earth. Zuko was in the Fire Caste while Gaara was sorted into the Earth Caste and he specialised in sand. They were both very powerful in what they were doing and without their help, Britain would still be at war.

Harry had to give that to Dumbledore: he did put his pride away and asked for help. Since Voldemort was Britain's problem and no other country wanted the Dark Lord's wrath directed towards them, they did nothing. It was Roku, Dumbledore's long time friend who was the Headmaster of their Academy, who answered the old wizard's pleas. Since the old Asian sorcerer was no commander of an army, the best he could do was to send his best students.

The group made a colossal gossip in Hogwarts after their arrival. Dumbledore did not force the sorting on them, so he gave them the guest rooms the school had. They belonged to no house.

Six arrived, three boys, three girls.

The boys were Zuko from the Fire Caste, Gaara from the Earth Caste, and Aang from the Air Caste. They were great friends, both knowing each other for a decade. Aang was a short, bald kid with an unnaturally high cheerfulness. He was at the same age as the other two, yet he was like a ten years old. He was a talented wizard, or what they called themselves, Benders.

Gaara was like the pure opposite of Aang. The teal eyed redhead was a silent, brooding character but he was maybe the most dangerous of the six newcomers: he was not afraid to hurt or to kill. In the war, he had the highest headcount in the country, even bigger then Harry's.

Zuko was more like the combination of the two. He was not all that quiet yet he was always serious but he had a magnificent sarcastic humour. Maybe that was what pulled Luna Potter in. Zuko and Luna got together before they actually went out to fight in the war and they were together ever since.

The three boys were famous in Hogwarts, role model to boys, sex symbols to girls. But the other three... were a whole other story.

The girls who arrived were Toph, Katara and Azula. Katara was really the only female newcomer who could meld into the crowds of Hogwarts spiritually. Physically... the girl was the most exotic beauty Harry has ever laid eyes upon. She had waist long chocolate brown hair and soft skin of the same colour. Her eyes were a pair of piercing azure jewels. Harry gave thanks to any God, Spirit or whatever was watching over them that there was no Yule Ball that year... there would have been chaos. Katara would have been sieged. Too bad the Water Caste girl was not into boys.

Azula was another thing. She was Zuko's younger sister, a true prodigy in her fire magic. Harry never got to know her better than a few words though. She was much like Draco Malfoy: believing in her superiority a bit too much. She was on their side though and the golden eyed, brunette beauty was a valuable ally.

Toph Bei Fong was in a league of her own. She had short black hair and misty, silvery eyes. The Earth Caste girl was born blind, yet thanks to her magic she could see through her bending. Her personality was worst then the Weasley twins brought together. She was loud, sarcastic, funny and brutal, stopping at nothing to embarrass someone. Yet, Toph was a prodigy, her power only matched by Gaara. The two had a sibling relationship which was lucky to... probably the whole Universe. If Gaara would be around to hold the girl back, she would harm someone, destroy some things.

Coming back to the present, Harry piled up his plate with bacon, sausages and toast. Gaara raised a brow at him but said nothing. Zuko smirked.

"Meat day Harry?"

"I'm hungry." was the only thing the boy got out of his mouth before it was filled with the delicious cooking of the Hogwarts elves.

"Want to be ready for your funeral?"

Harry looked up at that. "What funeral?" Zuko had to restrain a laugh at that.

"What day is it today?"

"Umm... Thursday?"

"And?"

"March."

"Aaaaaaand?"

"The 18th. Oh Merlin." It finally dawned on Harry. Today, the 18th of March was Toph Bei Fong's, his girlfriend's, seventeenth birthday. And he forgot.

"Just tell me, how long are you two together?" asked Zuko.

"Half a year."

"And you still can't remember her birthday?"

"Oh shit. Oh shirt. Oh shit."

"Indeed." added Gaara.

Harry and Toph got together at the Christmas break in his sixth year. It was not some romantic fling either. When Harry asked the blind girl if she wanted to be his girlfriend, she hit his shoulder with all her might then pushed him into the lake where they walked. After Harry finally got out and dried himself Toph just gave him one of her trademark, wide smirks and said 'Took you long enough.'

Their relationship was not really cuddly, fluffy and romantic. They joked, laughed and even trained together. They were like two side of the same coin: Harry, the serious boy who aged beyond his young life; Toph who was immature and never saw the seriousness in things.

Yet they clicked somehow. It was a mystery, even for them. To Harry, she was not someone he thought he'll fall for. He wasn't sure he was in love with her or if this was a one-time, pleasurable fling. To her, it was, or at least it looked like it was.

To an outsider, Toph and Harry were not a couple. They never held hands, rarely kissed and never made love. Sometimes, even Harry thought they were not a couple.

Once or twice a day he thought about a normal relationship. How would it be to hold Toph's hand or to kiss her in public? To be really with her?

Yet, it was not an option. Toph loved her independence and even though she admitted (only to Harry and in private) that he meant more to her than any other individual in her life, it was not enough for her to let it go. Toph always loved to burn an image of her into the minds of those she knew. She wanted to be the strong and independent woman... and that she was.

To forget her birthday...

"What am I going to do?" asked Harry in hushed tones.

"I don't know, but you should think fast." said Zuko as he motioned towards the entrance with his head. Harry didn't have to turn to know who was there. He heard the sounds of naked feet on the stone floor. Since Toph was blind she needed the earth to see with her earth-based magic.

"Morning all. Phew you all smell like testosterone."

"Wonder why?" Zuko asked back with a small smirk. Toph let the comment slide and sat next to Harry. Hermione was with her and she took her place between Harry and Gaara.

"Good Morning. Ready for Thursday?" she asked in a cheery voice.

"What made you so chipper today?" asked the Firebender. Hermione shrugged.

"I just sense that this will be a good day." that made Harry grumble. "What's up with him?"

"Forgot to do his DADA essay." said Gaara in his deep baritone. Hermione huffed at that.

"Harry, for the love of Merlin, how many times..."

But her well-known tirade about how lazy Harry is was interrupted by a barrage of letters. The morning post was soon over, but Hermione was surprised to find a hawk flying down, right in front of her.

"A message hawk." stated Zuko with surprise. "We use them instead of owls. What is one doing here?"

That was a logical question. Zuko, who was the only one who had a real family, never got any mail from them. He never really got along with his Father and that marked his home life real bad. Azula, his sister who accompanied him to Britain, already went home when the war was over, along with Aang and Katara. So it was definitely not for him.

It was not for Gaara either. The only family he had was his elder brother and sister who were working really hard in the family business. Plus Gaara was something like an exile to the Sabaku family. He was the most powerful in the Academy where they learned magic and strength was the most important thing to one of the most powerful and wealthy family in the world. So, it was not for him either.

Toph... well she and her family had quite an accident before she left. The Bei Fongs forbid her to go to Britain, but here she was. Now, Toph was as good as homeless

Then, who was the hawk for?

"Isn't it a long way for a hawk to come? I mean, it travelled half the world!" asked Harry, amazed.

"It's for Hermione, idiot." said Toph as she hit her boyfriend on his head.

"How'd you know?"

"It landed right in front of her. Duh."

Harry had to admit, it really was stupid of him. Hermione took the parchment from the hawk's back package and let the bird fly off. She unrolled it and read it attentively. Harry could see her eyes moving from left to right with incredible speed. The boy also saw her cheeks growing redder with each passing sentence. When she finished she was like a sunset.

"Umm. Well... interesting..." she stammered as she tried to hide the paper.

"It's from Katara! It's from Katara!" singed Toph with a wide grin. Harry just raised a brow. Why would a letter from Katara unbalance Hermione this much?

"Just tell her Mione." said Zuko, already losing interest. "She won't leave you alone until you do. And it's her birthday after all."

Every eye fell on Toph who looked back at them strangely.

"What? Whose birthday?" she asked. Hermione just hit her head with her palm.

"Of course! How could I forget? Happy Birthday Toph."

"Huh?" was the black haired girl's reaction as the brunette hugged her.

"Yeah, congrats Toph." came from Zuko through a mouthful of eggs. Harry wished her as well, giving her a small and quick kiss. He smiled at her but inside, he was panicking. What in the nine hells will he give her?

"Well, if that's settled, I think I'll go to class." tried Hermione quickly as she stood and hurried out the Hall. Toph followed in a hurry.

"Oh, no you don't!" she exclaimed as she chased her friend. "You will tell me what was in that letter!"

Her voice died down once she left the Hall. Zuko and Gaara looked at Harry who was almost comatose.

"You survived Harry." started Zuko cheerily. "Don't worry; it's not a special day for her."

"Then why make me panic so much?" hissed Harry. "I thought it was important to her! I thought she will want something..."

"Cheers then. But who knows? You're her first boyfriend." the three stood to follow the girls to Transfiguration. All the way, Harry's brain was in full motion. Zuko was right; he was Toph's first boyfriend. This meant that no one, not even she knew how to act or how to see these kinds of things. What if unconsciously she wanted a special present from him? But then came the original question: what to give?

They finally arrived at the classroom and took their respectful seats in the back. Harry saw his girlfriend sitting with Hermione and Susan Bones at the same desk, talking animatedly. He knew and understood that Toph was not a material girl. She was blind, so visual things didn't really matter to her. It would be only logical that he would have to appeal to her other senses. He could buy or conjure up flowers for her to smell, chocolates or some special food to taste... but she was not the romantic type so those were out of the question. So long, romance!

Half a year was enough for Harry to get a good grip on his girlfriend but it was not enough to know her inside and out. Toph was a really curved-up person and maybe only her best-friend-slash-brother, Gaara, would know her fully. Yet, Harry felt that he should not ask from the others. It was his first task, as Toph's boyfriend (other than surviving her in general...) to come up with their first birthday.

And then it hit him. What does Toph love the most in this world? What is the one thing she adored and lived for?

A wide grin spread across his face. Zuko eyed him with worry.

"Are you okay man?" he whispered to the wizard who just looked at him and smiled even wider.

"I have it." he said triumphantly. "I know what to give her!"

*

"You did what!?"

"I asked her to a duel."

Harry, Zuko and Gaara were sitting at the Quiddich pitch, their favourite place to hang out. The redhead was on his back on the grass while the other two were sitting beside each other. The Firebender's jaws almost hit the ground after he heard what his best friend just did.

"Let me get this straight: you, as in your idiotic and moronic self, just asked Toph Bei Fong, Earthbending extraordinaire and your girlfriend to a dual on her birthday?!"

"Yup."

"Are you fucking insane?"

"Harry rubbed his ears after his friend shouted in them. Zuko was panting almost as if he ran a hundred miles. He just couldn't believe the stupidity of the situation. Gaara just chuckled.

"Just think about it." urged Harry. "She loves fighting above all else. And not only the serious ones, the goofy ones as well. I don't expect to win or lose... just to have fun. It's a sparring match if anything."

Zuko had to say it did make sense in a catastrophic kind of way. Yet, the question still remained. Who in their right mind would ask Toph to a duel, even if it is just sparring?

This could end up being Toph's best birthday ever. Or the worst.

*

They were all gathered on the Quiddich pitch. Zuko, his girlfriend Luna, Gaara and Hermione. Susan Bones, who overheard Hermione and Luna talking, asked to come. It was a mystery as to why she did, but as Harry eyed her, he noticed how close she stood to Gaara and tried to catch his attention. He hid his chuckle.

It was six o'clock in the afternoon, and with dinner at its end, the still had three whole hours until curfew. A smile came over Harry's face as he eyed his girlfriend.

Toph was not in her robed now; she wore knee-long jeans and a tank-top. The attire really showed both her womanly curves and the trained body of a fighter. As she did her exercises, she had that weird look on her face whenever she was beginning for a big fight. It was a strange mix of excitement and seriousness. Maybe the only thing she could ever find serious.

Harry let his school robes slide off his shoulders. He cracked his neck and did some exercises as well. He was truly happy he came up with this idea: Toph was excited about it. On her birthday, did anything else matter?

"Okay. Ready Harry dearest?" she asked. Her tone was mocking as was his pet name. The boy grinned.

"When you are."

The same second he ended the sentence he felt the ground beneath him move. He jumped to the side only to avoid a spike, erupting from the earth under him. He rolled to his right but never stopped. He jumped up and started to run in circles around the girl. He tried to use his speed against the superior magic of his girlfriend. A stunning spell would do little against a solid shield of rock.

As another boulder whizzed by right next to his ear, Harry had to forcibly remind himself that this was not a serious fight. This was sparring. This was his girlfriend.

"God, I swear you're worst then Twinkle-toes!" yelled Toph exasperatedly; referring to Aang whose Air magic allowed him unnatural speed.

"Just trying to make fun dear!" Harry answered as he blasted an incoming bullet of earth into dust. He saw the smirk on his girlfriend's face and felt the rare warmth of triumph.

They went on for hours. Their friends just watched in awe as they danced around each other, neither getting the upper hand on the other. Both of them started to tire from the strain of using their powers continuously. And it was Toph who slipped first.

Her feet slid a bit too far after a move which caused her to lose her perfect balance. The second of hesitation was enough for Harry to fire off a jelly-leg jinx. Toph fell on her behind with a loud thud.

Harry was panting heavily when he walked slowly towards his girlfriend who was still sitting on the ground, her head bowed. He cancelled the jinx and offered his hand to help the girl up. He was smiling broadly and felt truly happy. Right until his offered hand was slapped away violently.

"Don't touch me." came a hiss from Toph. Harry stared at her in shock. "Leave me alone. We're through."

And without a second word she stood and stormed off towards the castle. The Hogwarts students watched her leave in total bafflement while Zuko and Gaara glanced at each other.

Harry fell on the ground, holding his head in his hands. With one last look at her best friend, Hermione ran off after Toph.

*

"What the hell Toph?!" came the yell. The blind girl stopped with and angry sigh. It was lucky all the students were in their Common Rooms, doing their homeworks. This could get ugly.

"Leave me alone Hermione."

"You can't just leave him like that!" yelled the brunette as she finally caught up. She stood in the other girl's way and put her hands on her hips.

"This is none of your business." hissed the black haired girl. She tried to walk by Hermione but the she stood firm.

"It is my business if you hurt my brother!"

It took Toph a second to realise that Harry really was Hermione's brother. After the war was over, the brunette went home and told everything to her parents who were kept in the dark for the whole time. The Grangers were not amused, not in the least. The said if Hermione was old and mature enough to make this kind of decisions then she might as well move out and live alone. So she was kicked out of her home and with no one to count on at that time, she went to Grimmauld Place to find Harry. The Boy Who Lived let the girl move in with him and take up his family name in order for her to cut her ties with her parents. Luna Lovegood; now Potter; did the same thing after she found out that her father was a Death Eater.

If she would think logically, Toph would realise that Hermione Potter had ever right to be angry. Unfortunately, she was not thinking.

"You have five seconds to step aside until I build you into your precious school." hissed the girl as she tried, yet again to push the brunette away. Three hours of fighting took its toll however and she did not have much strength left. Hermione stood firmly.

"What is your problem?"

"None of your business!"

"Why did you leave him?"

"Why are you so angry at him?!"

"_**Because he won!"**_

That gave Hermione pause. She watched the usually pale girl's flaming cheeks and angry eyes. Was she really so angry... that she lost?

"Hermione."

The brunette turned towards the voice and saw Gaara. The redhead motioned towards Toph with his head. The Earthbender girl looked almost catatonic now and let herself be led away by her friend. Hermione just watched as the two disappeared through the corner and knew: if anyone would have the slightest idea about what was going on and how it could be solved, then that one would be Gaara.

*

The redhead closed the door to their common room behind him and watched his friend sit on the couch. Toph was in a mild state of shock, her mouth slightly open, her blind eyes staring at nothing. Gaara finally sighed and walked to her, sitting down next to her.

"Why have you lied to Hermione?" he asked finally. The girl looked at him. It was as if she finally realised she had company. Her face turned to the ground, and her shoulders shook. Gaara was mind-boggled as he saw what was happening before him.

Toph Bei Fong was crying.

"It's okay." he tried as he hugged the girl he considered a sister. Toph fought her tears for a few minutes but she finally broke and sobbed uncontrollably. Gaara was starting to get nervous.

Toph never cried. She didn't when her brother, Haru died. She didn't cry when she was kicked out from her home. She didn't cry when Harry left to fight Voldemort, almost thinking he'll never return.

"You love him, don't you?"

It was asked, but it was not a question. Toph cried even harder as Gaara's arms around her tightened. It all became clear to the boy.

"I think you should explain it to him." The girl shook her head violently as she let go of her friend.

"No. Harry must not know." she said with a small hiccup. That made Gaara raise a nonexistent brow.

"Your boyfriend must not know that you love him?" he asked sarcastically. Toph looked at him with a frown.

"How long am I in a relationship Gaara?" she asked. The redhead's eyes widened.

In their culture, if an adult girl was in a relationship with another male or female, she had to offer herself, both soul and body to her chosen. It was like a pre-marriage promise. It was a tradition no one was recorded to break in centuries. Knowing Toph and her free spirit she was not happy to bow to anyone and anything, not even tradition.

It was likely that Toph was always trying to postpone thinking about it. It didn't really worry her because she was famous for not wanting a relationship with another one. She was always single and loving it. But when Harry came around... things changed.

Toph admired power and strength above all. She was not romantic or clingy or anything other girls were. She was strong; she was a warrior inside and out. Being a prodigy just helped her develop this view of life. And Harry was powerful. So much in fact, that Gaara would not be surprised if the boy beat him and Toph together, them being the strongest in the Academy.

That was only one thing however. Harry was always carefree yet serious, powerful yet gentle, innocent yet scarred. He was the pillar of opposites, just like Toph. She grew up as a small and blind girl who was the second most powerful warrior in their country. This drew her in even more.

Harry was, in Gaara's perspective, the perfect person for Toph. He could handle her temper and her ego, and most of all, her humour. To the girl, humour was always brutal, hurtful and honest which was not a good thing, more often than not. But Harry was like a mountain always being hit with snowballs, it just didn't damage him.

He also saw Toph what she was: a fighter. He didn't see her as a blind person or even a little girl. In his eyes, she was definitely female, yet a strong and independent person. Toph had no chance but to fall in love with him. And there lies the problem.

Toph never felt anything romantic towards anyone. Never. It was almost as if she was incapable to do so. When she did fell in love... it was a recipe for disaster. Romance was something she didn't know. If she didn't know it, she couldn't control it. If she couldn't control it she couldn't understand it. That slowly transformed to fear. And fear to anger.

For a time now, Gaara saw how Toph looked at Harry. Scrutinising, trying to find something he did wrong, something he missed. She almost wanted him to not be good to her and for her. She wanted a reason not to like him, and eventually, not to love him. She was afraid that if she loved him, she will be bound to him. And to Toph Bei Fong, being bound was the thing she hated the most.

And everything came back to the tradition. Toph was afraid because she saw no reason not to offer herself up. It was as simple as that.

"That is not a reason to break up with him. Talk to him. He deserves that, at least."

*

Harry and Zuko sat at the Quiddich pitch, staring at the Sun which crept down the horizon ever so slowly. Harry felt... nothing. Maybe it was the shock and the suddenness of the situation. He felt no pain yet he found it hard to breathe. The only girl he ever had stronger feeling than a simple fancy, just walked out of his life. Well, more like stormed out.

What happened with Toph? Was it only because she lost? That seemed a little childish, even for her. He felt that there was something wrong with her for a time now, almost as if she was a bit tense.

"So, what now?" asked Zuko. Harry sighed and shook his head.

"I have no idea."

"Do you want to talk to her?"

"Do I?" yelled Harry exasperatedly. "She just dumped me! Why the hell did she dump me?"

"I have no idea. No idea at all." Zuko knew Toph for almost five years yet he still felt that the girl was a mystery to him. He knew she was not gay, so why throw away something if you had something good?

"Harry?"

The boys turned only to see Hermione standing behind them. She walked to the two and sat between them, looking at the setting sun as well.

"I'm sorry Harry." was all she said. Harry smiled at her fondly. Hermione was his sister in both name and soul. This was all she needed to say.

"Thanks Hermione."

The three just sat on the grass for endless minutes watching as the sun finally set and the night overcame the sky. They walked back to the castle together. Harry never felt this close to two people before since Ron died. He still remembered the final battle when the redhead gave his life to save Azula, the girl he fell in love with. His feelings were never returned, but he never cared. He died a hero.

They walked into the dark castle, already past curfew. Zuko bid them farewell on the first floor, going for their own common room. Hermione and Harry found a secret passage which granted the fastest path to the seventh floor without getting caught.

When they reached the Fat Lady however, they saw a small figure sitting right at the entrance. It was Toph.

Harry frowned and his heart grew cold. His feeling finally caught up with today's events and he just felt anger towards the small Earthbender. Almost as if his thoughts were heard, Toph looked up. She stood and walked to the nervously. Hermione stepped in front of Harry protectively which made the approaching girl frown, but only a little.

Her blind eyes passed the brunette and stopped at where she though Harry's emerald eyes were.

"Harry... I should... no..." she stammered. "I _**need**_ to explain. Please."

Now that was a first. Toph Bei Fong never asked. She ordered. She never said 'please'. She said 'now'.

Harry sighed and ran his fingers through his hair in anger. He wanted to say 'We have nothing to talk about'. Yet he felt curiosity as well. It was only natural one wanted to know the reason to be dumped so violently.

"Hermione, I'll meet you in the Common Room." he said in a strong voice. The girl just eyed him for a second before nodding to him and leaving for the portrait hole without a word or single nod to Toph who watched the girl pass sadly. She felt that Hermione and she really were good friends.

"Speak then." said Harry as he crossed his arms and frowned. Toph fidgeted nervously before throwing her arms in the air in desperation.

"I had enough of this secrecy!" she exclaimed. "I love you!"

That made Harry pause, yet again.

"Not a really good reason for a break up." he said coldly, yet deep inside her felt a bit of warmth. So, Toph loved him?

"No, it isn't. Not in your culture. In our country love means enslavement." for a few seconds they stared at each other. Then Harry raised a brow.

"Okay! So it's not enslavement! It is for some. You see, when an adult woman is in a relationship she is supposed to offer her body to the one she is with." Toph said and searched for her ex's reaction. She couldn't see his face but she felt his heart going twice as fast as normal.

"I see. It's still not a reason to break up." he finally exclaimed. "You should have just told me. I wouldn't have asked nor would I uphold the tradition. You are abroad and in a relationship with a foreigner. I'm sure the tradition would not stand."

Toph cursed under her breath. This will be worse then she thought. Harry was too calm. She knew this kind of Harry. He was like this right before the storm hits.

"It's not that easy. _**I'm**_ still the citizen of that country and culture."

"So let's say you are. Would that be a bad thing? Offering yourself up?" Harry knew he was being a jerk and he knew he was afraid of actually having sex with her. He knew that how much weight this could have been on Toph's free spirit. But he was still hurt by her and the fact that she insinuated that he was not good enough for her.

"No! That's not what I'm saying!" she yelled, almost too loudly. "I love you!"

"What's so bad in that?"

"That I'm not myself anymore! I..." her voice dropped to a whisper. "I'm the strongest warrior there is where I come from. My life is full of training and battle. But... since I arrived here... I felt something more. Something else crept into my mind. Maybe that was the time I started to fell for you."

Harry watched intently as Toph fidgeted and looked at anywhere but him. Her blind eyes were on the ground.

"I knew who you will face and who you'll battle. And I felt that you had little to no chance to win, even with our help. But you emerged victorious. You were so much powerful than I hoped you were. I have never seen anyone like you before. At first I thought that I can become absolutely strong if my life was spent training, but you showed me that people can become powerful without throwing life away. You showed me a way of life I would have been happy to accept. But... wouldn't that be something... else? Would I be still me?"

Harry flinched and sighed. Toph had a point there. He never asked anyone to change for him and he never required it. He never thought that the way he lived was inspirational to some. He was happy and sad at the same time as he looked at the girl he knew he fell in love with. He was overjoyed that she loved him and actually admitted it out loud. That was something he never expected Toph to do. Yet, he was sad that he made the girl face a situation like this.

All he wanted to do was to forgive her of what she had done and hug her senseless, even risking a boulder hitting him on the head because he made her feel 'too girly'.

"I..." she started again. "I wanted you to be flawed, I really did. I knew you were not perfect. No one is. Yet, you _**were**_... to me. I knew it in my heart but my mind never wanted to admit it. I was torn between my freedom and old self and the man I loved and the changes that life would bring." She finally raised her head, her eyes trying to meet his. Harry sensed her desperation to find him so he stepped closer to her and touched her cheeks. He cuddled her face and turned her head so she was directly facing him.

Toph too raised her hands and cupped Harry's cheeks.

"I want to do anything for you Harry Potter. I want to love you freely. I don't care about battles or fighting... or strength. I want to be with you."

Harry almost teared up. He felt them sting his eyes but he resister.

"I love you Toph. But don't change, please Merlin, don't change. If I must, I will be out of bed four our in the morning and go out to train and spar with you. But please... don't change for me. I love you as you are now."

Toph let a single tear fall.

"Happy Birthday Toph."

They embraced as their lips met in their very first passionate kiss.

When they separated Harry gave a wistful sigh. The he looked at his now freshly reinstated girlfriend.

"By the way. Have you ever found out what the hawk gave to Hermione?" Toph giggled at that.

"Let's just say... our little Hermione is not so humble and conservative after all. And neither is Katara."

*

Zuko smirked as he saw the two embrace. Finally, Toph came to her senses and reached out to Harry. He turned and started to walk back to his common room. He knew it was a bad idea to follow his friends but he just knew that Toph will be there and try to mend things. He just wanted to know how it will play out.

Suddenly he heard groans from an empty classroom. He stopped and plastered his ear to the door. The grunts and moans were a bit louder but he still couldn't guess who was inside. Zuko groaned as his curiosity got to him and he softly opened the wooden door. What he saw made him freeze in shock.

Gaara and Susan Bones were locked in the most passionate and fiery kiss Zuko ever saw. And watching them was none other than his girlfriend, Luna Potter.

"What... where... how...?" was all he could mumble. Luna saw him and walked over to him, giving him a small peck on the lips. The other two were still oblivious to anything other than each other.

"I'm just learning new techniques to please you dearest." said Luna in her dreamy voice. "And I think I'm ready to try out some."

After that she grabbed Zuko's robe and started to pull him towards another empty classroom.

*

A/N.: Done. I have to say that this is not my best work, but it's hard to cross worlds. Some things to note:

Toph: yes she was OOC a bit but we don't know that for sure. We never saw her in love (no matter how many fans want to say that she had the hots for Sokka.) and we never saw her at this age. So it's not a real OOC.

Zuko: Yes he was a bit goofier and lighter than in other fics where he is brooding like Batman. I just thought that he was a really happy and almost carefree character after he joined the Gaang in canon so I do think that he could be something like this if he did not suffer under his Father's hand.

This was a fic my girlfriend/fiancée would always want to read and since her birthday was on the 18th of March, I wrote it to her. Through this I want to give her my best as her future husband and I want to thank her for helping me through thick and thin, staying with me, and being my muse when I needed. Thank you dear, I love you with all my heart!

On another topic, many have asked me to write a Zuko/Harem fic. Not a bad idea people, I'll get on it as soon as I can. And about Kiss of Fire: my friend and I are planning to write a script to it and its sequel and draw it as a graphic novel and maybe post it somewhere as a comic book/fan fiction. It's still not clear. Maybe we'll even animate it. And remember, Read and Review! This is Jaden, signing off!


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